Jerpoint Abbey

Daughter monasteries

Kilcooly Abbey ( 1184 ) Killenny Abbey ( 1185 )

Jerpoint Abbey ( Irish Mainistir Sheireapúin ) is a former Cistercian monastery, which is situated 1.5 km southwest of Thomastown in County Kilkenny in Ireland and is one of the most important facilities of its kind in Ireland.

History

The monastery was probably built around 1180 at the latest by Donal Mac Gillapatrick, king of Ossory and the Cistercians, on the remains of a Benedictine monastery in 1158 commenced, as a daughter house of Baltinglass Abbey. After an uprising of the Irish Cistercian monasteries in 1217 ( riot of Jerpoint, the conspiracy ( conspiracy ) of Mellifont followed ) the abbot was deposed and the monastery subordinated to the monastery Fountains in Yorkshire. About 50 years later, the independence was restored. In the 15th century, the tower was built. At this time there was a patron of the Butler family from Kilkenny. The monastery was dissolved in 1540, since only an abbot and five monks lived. By the end of the 17th century, the abbey of the Butler family belonged. Since 1880, Jerpoint Abbey is a national monument.

The Abbey

The Abbey consists of a cross-shaped nave, a chancel and transepts. The tower was built in the 15th century to do so. To the south lies the cloister. Around the Abbey there were other buildings, cemeteries and gardens. Are from the facility, the church, the chapter house, the kitchen and dining room ( refectory ) and the storage and sleeping rooms available. Furthermore, a number of grave stones from the 13th to 16th centuries have been preserved. Among them is also the Felix O'Dullany († 1202), the first Abbot of Jerpoint and Bishop of Ossory.

The nave and the chancel

The nave was formerly made up of two rooms, the Separation Wall can be seen today. The southern wall is no longer available. The windows in the nave are up. Today are the pillars of the northern portico.

The chancel is the oldest part of the church. Dating from the 14th century east window is still preserved. On the north side remains of wall paintings can be seen.

The transepts

In the north transept tombs are housed in the 15th century. In the southern part of the northern transept there is a plate with a group of saints who are called weepers ( Weeping ). The panel was created in the 15th century by the masons O'Tunney. In the south transept is located in the southern chapel a plate on the grave clad in chain mail Brothers ( The Brethren ) are shown. This is in addition to Cantwell Fada in the near Kilfane one of the most important representations of this kind

The tower and cloister

The tower was built in the 15th century. As a Cistercian monastery because of the rule belongs no stone tower, it is now believed that it was no longer in the 15th century so serious about abstinence.

In the cloister carvings were restored in 1953.